00:00This 40-year-old facility is at the forefront of Queensland's clean energy future.
00:10The state's only pumped hydro power station at Wyvernhoe Dam near Brisbane
00:17is capable of generating 570 megawatts of power.
00:23The beauty of pumped hydro is its ability to store huge volumes of energy over a long duration.
00:29Pumped hydro is a critical piece of the puzzle to meet future energy demand and lower carbon emissions.
00:37But there's concern about how the LNP plans to reach net zero by 2050 given it's now reviewing emissions targets.
00:47The Christopher Lee government was elected after they showed bipartisan support for Queensland's emission reduction targets.
00:55And what we're seeing right now is then walk away from those commitments.
01:00The energy minister insists the government supports pumped hydro, wind and solar projects.
01:07But experts say its decision to extend the life of publicly owned coal-fired power stations beyond 2035,
01:15expand gas exploration and call in wind farm projects is sending mixed messages.
01:22I think right now there's a lot of messiness.
01:24All the things that we're referring to make it uncertain, unclear, impose more risks.
01:30Risk means more delays, delays mean more cost.
01:33I think our energy position is actually clear.
01:36I send clear messages as energy minister that I want to see more investment, particularly from the private sector into renewables projects.
01:44The LNP axed a proposed $1 billion wind farm project in central Queensland in May, citing a lack of community support.
01:54Changes to planning laws are being considered by a parliamentary committee, which could make it harder for renewable energy projects to apply for state approvals, such as requiring a social impact assessment and a community agreement with local councils.
02:13If this bill goes through, there's no doubt that there will be delays to projects that I would expect would be upwards of 12 months.
02:21It's important that renewables projects gain the confidence of the community in which they are being constructed.
02:27David Janetsky says coal and gas are needed to support the transition to renewables and won't put a date on when coal generators will be shut down.
02:38Well, right now we need coal. I mean, we have to have the coal so there isn't enough energy in the network to be able to keep all the lights on without it.
02:45But eventually as coal units come to the end of their lives, we need to have a plan.
02:50That plan detailing Queensland's energy future over the next five years is due at the end of the year.
02:58.
02:59I hope this is going to be a classic.
03:00It's been a long way to help us to solve our decisions for the future.
03:09.
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